Grief Counseling FAQs

They should contact Member Services at 800-551-3225 as soon as possible after your death. We acknowledge that this will be a difficult time for your family so your 32BJ Benefit Counselors are here to meet one-on-one with them to help put them at ease with issues around survivor benefits.

Your pension payments end immediately upon your death. If the Fund office is not notified of your death on a timely basis, your estate or anyone who may have benefited from the payments made after your death will be required to repay the Fund. Any survivor benefits that are payable to your spouse or beneficiary may be adjusted to recoup any overpayments that have not been returned to the Fund.

No, you may not name your pension beneficiary prior to applying for your pension benefits. You will receive the necessary forms to complete at that time. However, it is a good idea to start thinking about your beneficiary designations before you retire. If you are married, your spouse is automatically designated as your beneficiary unless he or she agrees to another designation. Take the time to talk this over with your spouse now to determine the best course of action for you and your family.

You may designate your Supplemental Retirement Savings Plan (SRSP) and life insurance beneficiaries (if applicable) at any time prior to or after retirement. If you are married, your spouse is automatically designated as your SRSP beneficiary unless he or she agrees to another designation.

If you were not married on your Annuity Starting Date (the date you started receiving your pension benefits), you may change your beneficiary designation if you are still within the guarantee period for the payment of survivor benefits. If you were married on your Annuity Starting Date and your spouse consented to your election of non-Joint & Survivor payment option, he or she must consent again to your change in beneficiary designation if you are still within the guarantee period for the payment of survivor benefits. If you elected a Joint & Survivor payment option, you may not change your beneficiary designation at any time. Click here to find your Plan’s beneficiary designation form.

Yes, if your Plan pays a one-time Death Benefit upon your death, you may change your designated beneficiary at any time prior to your death. You do not need your spouse’s consent to change your designation if you are married. Beneficiaries of deceased participants of Program A, B or C of the 32BJ Pension Fund, or the North or Connecticut (Cleaning Contractors) Pension Plans may be eligible to receive a Death Benefit. Please refer to your Plan’s Summary Plan Description for more information.

After you pass away, your pension benefits may continue to your spouse or beneficiary based on the payment option you chose at retirement. If you chose a Joint & Survivor option, your spouse will continue to receive a percentage of your benefit for his or her lifetime. Other payment options continue to pay benefits over a guaranteed period of time if you pass away during that guaranteed period. Please refer to your Plan’s Summary Plan Description for more information.

If you pass away before you retire, your spouse is automatically covered by a Pre-retirement Surviving Spouse Pension if:

• you are vested (generally, you have worked 5 years in covered employment),
• you and your spouse have been married for at least one year before your death, and
• you die before your Annuity Starting Date (the date you start your pension).

Generally, the Pre-retirement Surviving Spouse Pension will provide your spouse with a monthly pension for life, equal to one-half of the monthly pension you would have received if you had retired and elected the 50% Joint & Survivor payment option. Please refer to your Plan’s Summary Plan Description for more information.

Special rules apply for Broadway League participants. Please refer to the SPD.

It is important to report the death of a 32BJ retiree or of a member who is still working to Member Services as soon as possible by calling 800-551-3225. Please also provide a copy of the death certificate, if available. You can fax the death certificate to 212-388-3027 or mail to:

You should contact Member Services as soon as possible at 800-551-3225 when your spouse or relative passes away. A Benefit Counselor will review the member’s file and determine if there are benefits payable from the Pension Plan, the SRSP, or if the one-time Death Benefit is payable to you. They will also determine if any life insurance benefits are payable. They will contact you within 3-5 days to inform you of the benefits available to you and send you the required forms, if any.

You may also visit the 32BJ Fund office and meet with a Benefit Counselor who will assist you with the application of your benefits.

If you are the spouse of a deceased pensioner, you may be entitled to receive pension benefits based on the payment option your spouse chose at retirement. If your spouse chose a Joint & Survivor option, you will continue to receive a percentage of their benefit for your lifetime. If your spouse chose a guarantee payment option at retirement, you may be entitled to receive payments for the balance of the guaranteed period if your spouse passed away during that guaranteed period. A Benefit Counselor will confirm for you the payment option your spouse chose and whether you are entitled to survivor benefits.

If you are not the spouse but are the named beneficiary of a relative or friend’s 32BJ pension benefits, you may be entitled to receive payments from the Plan, You may be entitled to receive payments for the balance of the guaranteed period during which beneficiary benefits are payable, if they passed away during that period. A Benefit Counselor will confirm your beneficiary status and notify you if you are entitled to receive any benefit payments.

If you are the named beneficiary, you may be entitled to a one-time Death Benefit payment if the member passed away after retirement, as follows:

• Programs A, B or C of the 32BJ Pension Fund: $1,000
• North Pension: $1,000 or $2,000 (refer to the SPD for more information)
• Connecticut Pension Plan (Connecticut Cleaning Contractors only): $1,000

Certain disabled retirees of Programs A or B of the 32BJ Pension Plan may have been eligible for life insurance benefits. If applicable, your Benefit Counselor will confirm if you are the designated beneficiary of the life insurance benefit. Note that if you are entitled to life insurance benefits, you are not eligible to receive the Death Benefit.

If the member had a balance in the Supplemental Retirement Savings Plan (SRSP) and you are the named beneficiary of the account, you will receive a payment from the Plan. You can reach out directly to Vanguard, the organization that administers the SRSP, at 800-555-1188 to confirm your beneficiary status. You will need to provide the SRSP’s plan number, 094163, when you contact them.

Pension payments end immediately upon the retiree’s death. If the Fund office is not notified of their death on a timely basis, the retiree’s estate or anyone who may have benefited from payments made after their death will be required to repay the Fund. Any survivor benefits that are payable to the spouse or beneficiary may be adjusted to recoup any overpayments that have not been returned to the Fund.